Assembler-entrance for typographical machines



T. s. HOMANS.

ASSEMBLER ENTRANCE FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1919. 1,331,343. Patented Feb. 17,1920.

g INVENTOR WITNESSES fiomms ifimans UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS S. HOMANS, 0F HEMPSTEAD, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 INTERTYPE CORPORA- TION', OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ASSEMBLER-ENTRANCE FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINES.

Application filed November 15, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS S. HOMANS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hempstead, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Assembler Entrances for Typographical Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in typographical machines and more especially to those of the linotype class using circulatingmatrices which are stored in a magazine and from which the matrices drop when released onto a delivery belt which conducts them to the assembling mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved guide to receive the matrices as they leave the magazine and to direct them properly to the delivery belt, although the matrices may be so close to one another in the adjacent channels at the lower or discharge end of the magazine that the matrices may engage or contact with one another, the invention being particularly applicable to a machine using relatively thick matrices bearing large type characters such as those employed for advertising or display printing, as liability of conflict between such matrices and the guide, especially at the point where the matrices leave the magazine and enter the guide, is avoided.

Heretofore typographical machines of the linotype class have been constructed to handle relatively thin matrices. Recent developments of such machines, however, have been made with a View to adapting such machines to the handling of relatively thick matrices bearing large type characters suitable for advertising or display purposes. In constructing a machine capable of handling these relatively thick matrices, it is desirable that the magazine to contain the thick matrices should have the same outside dimensions as the standard magazines in order that the magazines may be interchanged in the machine to meet the requirements for difierent kinds of type composition. In

adopting such a standard for the dimensions of a magazine to handle relatively thick matrices, the space at the lower or delivery end of the magazine has been found to beso limited that in order to accommodate the necessary number of matrices in the maga- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Seria1 No. 338,273.

zine, substantially all of such space must be utilized and in some instances, the matrices in one channel of the magazine will touch or contact with the matrices in an adjacent channel of the magazine, as the matrices in these adjacent channels occupy their lowermost position at the bottom of the magazine in readiness to be delivered therefrom. Inasmuch as it is necessary to maintain the matrices in a vertical position, while dropping trom the magazine to the delivery belt, the partitions in the guide which is arranged between the magazine and the delivery belt, must reach to within a very short distance of the lower or delivery end or" the magazine, in order that the partition will engage the matrix as the lug thereof leaves the channel in the magazine and thus guide the matrix into its proper path, the partitions in the guide serving to prevent twisting of the matrices while passing to the delivery belt. Owing to the very close proximity of the matrices in adjacent channels and at the lower or delivery end of the magazine, it has been found impracticable to extend the partitions of the guide into close proximity to the magazine, in the usual manner and to taper the partitions so finely as to separate or divide the adjacent contacting or closely arranged matrices.

The present invention provides means whereby relatively thick matrices of the kind referred to may be accommodated in a magazine having the usual or standard dimensions of the magazines constructed to contain the ordinary relatively thin matrices, and these relatively thick matrices are so received and guided, that as they are released from the magazine, they are caused with certainty to drop correctly and in the proper paths, without liability of twisting while on their way to the assembling mechanism, and without conflict between the matrices and the partitions of the guide.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the features of novelty being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is aperspective view of the lower portion of a magazine, a portion of the delivery belt and a portion of the as: sembler entrance which is interposed between the magazine and the delivery belt, the matrix guiding partitions of the assembler entrance being constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a profile of the upper portion of one of the matrix guiding partitions of the are stored in the channels of a magazine and which drop, when released, from the magazine onto mechanism which conveys the matrices to the matrix assembling mechanism. The invention is applicable, however, to typographical. machines ,of the linotype class, the preferred embodiment of the invention being shown in the accompanying drawing, and hereinafter described in detail. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not restricted to the precise construction shown, as equivalent constructions are contemplated and will be included within the scope of the claims.

In the present instance, 1 designates a portion of the matrix magazine which, in machines of the linotype class, occupies a downwardly and forwardly inclined position on the machine, the magazine comprising essentially upper and lower plates hav- ,lng' complemental grooves 2 which receive the lugs 72 on the corners of the matrices M, the grooves or channels in the magazine thus guiding the matrices from the upper end of the magazine. where they are received from the distributor to the lower end of the magazine, from which matrices are delivered when required,-under the control of a keyboard, the construction and operation of which are well understood in this art. The standard magazines used} in machines of this class to contain the ordinary relatively thin matrices, are reduced in width toward the lower or discharge end, in consequence of which the matrix guiding grooves or channels in the upper and lower plates of the magazine converge and become more closely spaced at the bottom than at the top ofthe magazine. In order that magazines containing relatively thick matrices, such as those bearing large type characters used for advertising or display purposes, may be particularly it would be free to turn used interchangeably in machines adapted to receive the usual magaz nes contammg the ordlnary relatively thin 'matrices, the

'magazine for the relatively thick matrices preferably has the same outline and exterior dimensions as the usual magazines containing the ordinary matricesso that these magazines may be used interchangeably on the same machine or the sametype of machine. Owing, however, to the increased thicknesses .of the matrices used and the necessity of utilizing all o'f the available space at the lower or discharge end of the magazine, the matrices in adjacent channels of the magain ill be n very ose p ximity a d, in me wa may t c .0 o ta t wi h one another at the lower or discharge end of the magazine. g- 3 o the rawi w er n i f w and 3 designate relatively fourgroups of matrices contained in adjacent channels of h m g z ne, h ma ic s) a d w being n contact withv one another, or so closely grouped that no appreciable space exists between the bodies ,of. these matrices.

Th m e 1 eas d'f ni the lowe en of the magazine dlQP y gravity onto an inclined delivery belt 3 which maybe of the kind used in machines of the linotype class for conveying the matrices to the assembling e h sm, his be p sing ar und an 1. 1.

p r pu ley 4 y. whi h the be t m y be ven and also a ound s mi ari o r belt, o ho he a sembler entra 5 which is rpo b ween t exlowe ndrf th magazine and the delivery belt servesto' receive the matrices from the magazine and to control them during their descent, in order that the matrices willbe properly deposited on he delivery belt. trance comprises a rear curved plate6 and a similarly curved front plate 7, these frontand rear being p ced ufl ciently' o P rm t th matrices to, descend in .edgewifse position between the Twist ng o t e ma ices Whil dropping through the assembler entrance, gu ding part tlo s.

prevented by a series of p 8 which are fitt d between the'front and liQar plates 5 and 7 ofthe assembler entrance. These partitions or guides 8 are spaced Sllfllciently close to one another to prevent the matrices descending between them from tumbling over in a fiatwise direction, as the atr es, rop f m h maga i t t e livery belt. iHeretofore it has been customary to extend'these partitions or guides, for their full width, up to the magazine, because when the matrix left the magazine channels an st a hence it would strike against the end of the guide unless the guide extended sufliciently close to the magazine. to prevent such action. While these guides or partitions may be extended for their full widthinto close prox- This ill he unde stood ra l The assembler enplates of the assembler entrance imity to the magazine when the usual or relatively thin matrices are used, such a con struction cannot be used when the magazine contains matrices which are so thick that those in one channel of the magazine will touch or nearly touch the matrices in an adjacent channel, because the matrices would then wedge against the end of the body portion of the guide if the matrices came into contact with the guide before the front lug of the matrix was clear of its channel in the magazine. The present invention provides a construction whereby the front lug of the matrix will be clear of its guiding channel in the magazine before the matrix reaches the guide or partition, and liability of matrices on either side of the guide or partition striking or stopping against the end of the guide, is prevented. These results are accomplished by providing a matrix guide or partition 8 having the upper end 9 of its body terminating at a distance from the lower or discharge end of the magazine and having a narrow or shallow extension or finger which lies close to the rear plate 6 of the channel entrance, this finger or extension being suiiiciently narrow or shallow as to permit the body of a matrix to pass over it. The purpose of this will be understood clearly from Fig. 3. Taking the groups or matrices ,T" and w for example, it will be observed that these groups of matrices are in lateral contact or substantially so. The matrices 7 are intended to drop at the lefthand side of the middle guide or partition 8 while the matrices w are intended to drop at the righthand side of this middle guide or partition 8. The shallow finger or extension 10 on this middle partition will engage the downwardly projecting lug on the forward lower corner of the matrix f as the latter is released from the magazine, and this matrix will be thereby directed to the lefthand side of the guide or partition 8. In order to insure the guiding of the matrices 7' to the lefthand side of the middle guide or partition 8, the narrow or shallow finger or extension 10 thereof is bent slightly to the right, as shown. The matrices Q0, how ver, are intended to descend at the righthand side of the middle partition 8 in Fig. 3, and while a portion of the body of the matrix '10 is in line with the finger or extension 10 of this middle guide, the body of the matrix nevertheless will pass over the finger or extension 10 without catching hereon, and hence each matrix 20 will descend in the passage-way between the middle guide 8 and the next guide to the right thereof in Fig. 3. By this construction of the upper end of the guides 8, the matrices may be grouped very closely in the lower end of the magazine and some of the matrices. such for example, as the matrices f, in

'Fig. 3, may be in line with the guides 8 so that ordinarily such matrices would strike and stop against the upper end of the guide. However, by providing the upper ends of the guides with the narrow laterally deflectmg fingers or extensions 10, to engage the forward corner lugs of the matrices, the latter are deflected to the proper side of the guide, and the bodies of adjacent matrices may pass over these fingers or extensions without liability of catching thereon.

I claim as my invention 1. In a typographical machine of the class adapted to use a magazine having channels for guiding matrices by their projecting lugs, a guide for directing matrices when released from themagazine, the guide having aportion arranged to engage the projecting lug of a matrix released from the channel of the magazine and to direct such matrix to one side of the guide, said portion being so constructed as to lie beneath the body of a matrix released and discharging from an adjoining channel of the magazine.

In a typographical machine, the combination of a magazine grooved to receive and guide matrices by lugs which project from the bodies of such matrices, and guides for directing matrices to the point of assemblage as they are released from the magazine, said guides being each provided with a finger arranged to lie wholly under the plane of the body of a matrix and disposed to engage the projecting lug of an adjacent matrix to direct the latter to the point of assemblage.

3. In a typographical machine of the class adapted to use a magazine channeled to receive and guide matrices by lugs which project from the bodies of such matrices, a guide for directing matrices released from the magazine to the assembler mechanism, said guide having a body portion and a finger which extends from the body portion of the guide in an upwardly and laterally inclined direction, said finger lying in the path of the projecting lugs of the matrices delivered from one channel of the magazine whereby such matrices are directed to one side of said guide, the finger being sufiiciently narrow to permit the bodies of matrices delivered from an adjacent channel of the magazine to pass it and to descend at the opposite side of the guide.

4. In a typographical machine of the class adapted to use a magazine channeled to receive and guide relatively thick closely grouped matrices by lugs which project from the bodies of such matrices, guides for directing the matrices released from the magazine to the assembler mechanism, each guide comprising a plate forming a body portion and anarrow extension projecting in an upwardly and laterally inclined direction from the upper end of said body portion, said extension being arranged to engage the projecting lugs of matrices re- 'guide, and the extension lying beneath the nesses.

leased from one channel of the magazine and In testimony whereof I :have herenntp set thus direct such matrices to one side of the my hand in presence of two subserlblng W113- bodies of matrices released from an adjacent THOMAS S, HOMANS. channel of the magazine to permit such WVitnesses:

matrices to pass without obstruction to the ALFRED M. BERRY, opposite side of the guide. OTTO HAS. 

